U.S. Pat. No. 3,194,382 A discloses an apparatus for arranging and transporting a plurality of articles, wherein the articles are transported in rows on a plurality of conveyor belts. A row of articles is transported on a single conveyor belt whose width is lesser than the diameter of the respective articles. The widths of the single conveyor belts are the same. The articles are arranged in groups, wherein a single group ranges over all single conveyor belts and lanes respectively and the same number of articles is arranged in each lane. The groups of articles are spaced apart from each other in transport direction.
International Patent Application WO 2007/102917 A2 discloses a packaging apparatus with a conveyor belt and a plurality of lanes. The lanes run along a first axis on a first section of the conveyor belt. The lanes of the first section lead in lanes of a second section following the first section. The lanes run along a second axis in the second section. By adjustment of the angle between the first axis and the second axis, the widths of each lane in the second section are adjusted user-defined, but consistently for all lanes.
German Patent Application DE 33 36 988 A1 discloses a bottle conveyor for transporting a plurality of articles, bottles in particular. The articles are transported in lanes on a plurality of conveyor belts. A lane is provided on a single conveyor belt, wherein the single conveyor belt is guided via a guide rail. The widths of the lanes are adjusted for articles of different sizes in such a way that the clearance in between the guide rails is adjusted to the transport direction in a transverse manner. The widths of the lanes are the same for all lanes.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,951,574 A discloses a bottling device, wherein a plurality of bottles are transported on a matting conveyor. The matting conveyor is provided with lanes, in which the bottles are transported consecutively in rows. The widths of the lanes are adjusted for articles of different sizes in such a way onto a certain width that above the matting conveyor a shearing arrangement is adjusted. The widths of the lanes are the same for all lanes.